Digestion: Beyond Bowel Health: The Benefits of Fiber, and How to Add More to Your Diet‡

Written by ReNew Life

Everyone knows fiber supports digestive health and is great for helping to keep you regular, but really that’s just the tip of the iceberg.‡ A diet high in fiber is good for your whole body, and in fact studies have shown that a high-fiber diet offers the following benefits:

Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels‡

Supports normal blood sugar‡

Promotes cardiovascular health‡

Helps remove toxins and waste‡

Curbs appetite by helping you feel full‡

Now for the bad news: according to the National Institutes of Health, Americans aren’t getting nearly enough fiber—on average only 10 to 15 grams per day.

Add More Fiber with the Love Your Heart Eating Plan

Foods high in fiber are encouraged in Brenda Watson’s Love Your Heart Eating Plan because fiber is a type of carbohydrate that is not digested by enzymes in the digestive tract. High-fiber foods decrease the absorption of carbs after a meal, in turn helping to control blood sugar and insulin response to carbohydrates.

Brenda recommends eating 35 grams of fiber daily from plenty of non-starchy vegetables and low-sugar fruits. The addition of a fiber supplement is also a great way to ensure you get enough fiber each day;‡ just be sure to look for a supplement that is: